Foldable lunch box



AMaly 14, 1957 R. MAYER 2,792,144

FOLDABLE LUNCH BOX Filed Nov. 5, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ROBERT MA YER.

ATTORNEY l May 14, 1957 R. MAYER FOLDABLE LUNCH BOX 2 Sheets-Sheerl 2 Filed Nov. 5, 1954 INVENTOR ROBERT MA YER ATTORNEY United States Patent() FOLDABLE LUNCH BOX Robert Mayer, Scarsdale, N. Y.

Application November 5, 1954, Serial No. 467,140

1 Claim. (Cl. 220-6) This invention relates to lunch boxes and, more particularly, to a collapsible, self-erecting lunch box which, when collapsed, forms a small flat package easily carried in a pocket, and which includes a permanently attached cover.

Lunch boxes commonly in use at present are rather bulky, generally being designed not only to accommodate solid foods but also to serve as a carrier for a Thermos bottle or similar liquid container. As such lunch boxes serve to enclose the liquid container both when packed with lunch and when they are empty, the lunch box when empty is just as bulky as when it is packed, although its empty weight is less than its packed weight.

With the advent of automatic drink vending machines at factories and oflices, and the serving of fresh milk and similar drinks at schools, there is no longer the need for carrying a Thermos bottle in a lunch box. Hence, many people who carry their lunches, such as factory and oiice employees and school children, no longer use lunch boxes of the usual type, preferring to carry lunch in a more compact package. Such packages, being usually improvised, are frequently unhandy and anything but neat. Thus, there is a need for a neat appearing lunch box of small bulk which can be easily collapsed and stored when empty.

The invention described and shown in my copending application, Serial No. 409,894, led February l2, 1954, is directed to an easily collapsed and self-erecting lunch box of small bulk which, when empty, can be collapsed into a flat package small enough to be slipped into a coat pocket, for example. More specifically, the invention lunch box comprises a substantially rectangular base bounded by a shallow peripheral flange. This base has walls hinged to it adjacent each edge and inside the flange, with one pair of opposite walls being spring biased to the erect position. The other pair of opposite walls overlaps the hinge ends of the first pair, at each end, and such opposite walls have means on their corner forming edges, suon as inwardly directed lianges, limiting movement of the spring biased walls to the erected position. This second pair of walls is limited against outward movement by the base flange, and held in the erected position by the spring biased walls.

To collapse the lunch box, the spring biased walls are folded against the base and then the other two walls are folded over the previously collapsed walls. ln the folded position, the four walls are recessed within the base peripheral flange. A rectangular cover is provided having a peripheral flange which frictionally embraces the base anjge, thus forming a closed ilat package of small dimensions.

The present invention is directed to an improved lunch box of this type, having the cover permanently secured thereto and including improved constructional features.

The outer edge of one of the overlying walls is rolled over, or otherwise formed to provide hinge leaves at each end, to receive pin means extending beyond each end and through slots in the side anges of the cover.

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These slots extend from adjacent the rear edge of the cover to about the midpoint of the side flanges thereof, and the outer ends of the pin means extending through the slots are headed. The cover thus has a permanent sliding and pivotal attachment to the outer edge of such overlying wall.

The opposite, or front, overlying wall likewise has its outer edge bent over, for reinforcement, and has a lip struck out therefrom to engage a reinforcement edge on the front flange of the cover to latch the cover in position.

The side anges of the base have slots adjacent their midpoint receiving the pin means when the box is co1- lapsed. In the collapsed condition of the box, the cover flanges embrace the base flanges, all of the cover flanges having reinforced outer edges. The upper edges of the side flanges of the base are sprung outwardly slightly, on each side of the slot, to provide a snap frictional t with the reinforced edges of the cover flanges.

To facilitate erection of the box, the front flange of the base has a tongue struck outwardly therefrom so that a cover opening force may be exerted between this lip and the front flange of the cover.

F or an understanding of the invention principles, reference is made to the following description of typical embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Figs. l and 2 are, respectively, side and end elevations, partly in section, of the erected lunch box with its cover thereon;

Fig. 3 is a plan view, with the cover partly broken away, of the collapsed lunch box;

Fig. 4 isa front elevation view, partly in section, of the collapsed lunch box; v

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a partial elevation view, corresponding to Fig. l, illustrating an alternative cover connection to the rear wall.

Referring to the drawings, the lunch box 10 of the invention includes a substantially flat rectangular base 15 having a shallow, perpendicular peripheral flange 11. At longitudinally spaced points along each edge of base 15, portions of the base and its ange, at their junctions, are deformed inwardly to form hinge loops l2 and 13.

Each pair of spaced hinge loops 12 at an end of base 15 receives a hinge pin or pintle 21 on which is pivotally mounted an end wall 2t). End walls 2t) have their inner ends curved to form spaced hinge loops 22 engaging pin 21 between loops 12. Between loops 22, each pin 21 is embraced by a coil spring 23, springs 23 being so disposed as to bias walls 20 upwardly relative to base i5. For a purpose to be described, ange 11, adjacent the rear end of each spring 23, is formed with a slot 25 and, on each side of the slot, is bent slightly outwardly, as at 24, 24. The free or outer `edge of each end wall 2d is bent outwardly to form a ange 26 overlapping the outer surface of the wall, and such free edges are notched at each end, as at 27, 27.

Each pair of spaced hinge loops 13 on a side edge of base 15 receives a hinge pin or pintle 31 on which is pivotally mounted a side wall 30. Walls 30 have the intermediate portions of their inner ends curved to form spaced Ihinge loops 32a and 32b, the hinge loops 13 on base l5 each being interposed between one outer hinge loop 32a and intermediate hinge loop 32h.

Each wall 3d has an inwardly rolled upper or free edge 33. The front wall 30 has `an abutment or latch 3a struck outwardly therefrom at its midpoint and just below edge 33. Also, this wall has buttons 36 on its outer face to receive a carrying strap. Notches 27, 27 accommodate edges 33 when the box is erected.

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It will be noted that the hinge connection of each side wall 30 to base 15 is immediately adjacent ange 11, so that each wall 30 lies against flange 11 in the erected position Flange 11 thus limits Swinging faysmsnt @i walls 3), away from base 11, to the erect rrrtositiuon.4 In turn, walls 3) are formedto. limit outward movement of walls 20 to the erect position. i

For this purpose, each wall 310: a length such that, at cach end; it extends beyond or overlaps the hinge connections of walls 210 ton base 15. In additiomeaclifside, or corner-forming, edge of each Wall Si() is formed with suitable limiting means, such as la shallow inwardly directed perpendicular lip or ange 35, 'extending along the major portion of such edge. These lips engage fthe walls 20, when the, latter Spring away from. base 15, to limit movement of walls 20r to the erect position.

The lunch box` isY provided with a cover 40 substantially rectangular form and slightly longer than base 15. Cover 4d has perpiheral front and rear. ilanges 41 and peripheral side anges 42, eachkprovided with rolled reinforcing lips 43. Side ilanges 42 have Islots 44 therein extending from adjacent the rear end of each tlange to about the midpoint of its length. These slots receive a hinge pin or pintle 45 extending through the rolled edge 33 of .rear wall 3i) and outwardly through each Slot 44, the outer ends of pin 45 being headed as at 45. Pin 45 provides a sliding and pivotal connection of cover 40 to rear wall 30.

When the lunch box is erected, cover 40 is drawn for wardly so lthat rear flange 41 engages rear wall 30 and front llange 41 may bev pres-sed downwardly over abutment or lip 34, front wall 30 springing inwardly. Lip 43 of front lange 41 snaps beneath latch 34 to close the lunch box. To open the cover, front Wall 30 is sprung inwardly to release the latch assembly, and the cover 40 is then swung upwardly and rearwardly.

To collapse ithe box, cover 40 is slid rearwardly, walls 2G are folded against base 15, and walls 30 are folded against base 15, and walls 30 are folded against walls 20. When rear flange 41 of cover 40 engages rear ange 1 1 of base 15, pin 45 will align with slots 25. As the cover is pressed inwardly, pin 45 moves into slots 25 and cover side flanges 42 frictionally embrace base side flanges 11. Cover front ange 41 embraces base frontange 11.

It will be noted that the front flange of base 15 has a curved tongue 16 struck out therefrom about at its midpoint. In the collapsed condition of the box, tongue 16 lies outside the cover. T o open the box, separatingA pressure is exerted between tongue. 16 and fr ront flange 41 of cover 40.

Fig. 7 illustrates a modified hinge connection for the cover. In this arrangement, short rolled over lips 53 are provided adjacent each end of the free edge of rear wall 30. These lips provide hinge leaves receiving pins 55 extending therethrough and through the adjacent slot 44. Pins 55 are headed at each end.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, it willbe understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

A collapsible lunch box comprising, in combination, a substantially rectangular` base including a, substantially flat bottom wall having a substantially perpendicular and relatively narrow peripheral tlange; a pair of first walls hingedly connected to said base adjacent one pair of opposite edges of the latter; a parir of second walls hingedl'y connected to said base adjacent the other pair of opposite edges of the latter; a cover substantially congruent with said base and having a dependent peripheral flange substantially normal to its general plane and arranged to embrace said base flange when the box is collapsed and to embrace the free edges of said walls when the box is erected; the anges on a pair of opposite edges of said cover each having a slot therealong extending from adjacent one end thereofV to substantially the midpoint thereof; the free edge of one of said second walls having inwardly rolled portions integral therewith adjacent each end and forming hinge pintle receiving tubes; relatively elongated pintles headed at each end and inserted through each inwardly rolled portionl and extending beyond said one `second wall at each side, and through said slots to slidably and pivotally connect said cover to said one second Wall; and cooperating releasable latch means on the ange of the cover and the other second wall; the ilanges on a pair of opposite edges of said base having open-ended slot-s receiving said hinge pintle means in the collapsed condition of said box.

References Cited the file of this patent UNITED STATES I ATENTS 1,597,092 McTighe Aug. 24, 1926 1,972,483 Hartson Sept. 4, 1934 2,087,496 Beasley et al; July 20, 1937 2,221,504 Beasley et al Nov. l2, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS' 546,337 France--. Aug. 1,8, 1922l 

